E2 victims' suits to get new judge

April 23, 2003

CHICAGO — A new judge will hear the more than two dozen civil lawsuits filed by victims and victims' families in the stampede that killed 21 patrons at the E2 nightclub in February.

Cook County Judge Diane Larsen on Tuesday granted E2 business partner Calvin Hollins' request for a substitution of judge. Hollins' lawyer, William Busse Jr., cited Larsen's past work in the corporation counsel's office for the City of Chicago, which is a defendant in the cases.

Larsen told lawyers that she was chief of the office's federal litigation section and did not work in the city's torts division, which is handling the E2 case. Larsen said she granted the substitution as a "matter of right," which each party is permitted, and not because of her previous work with the city.

The cases, which have been consolidated so that they will be heard by the same judge, were sent to Judge William Maddux, presiding judge of the law division, for reassignment.